Car-coupling.



0. STARLING.

GAR 0QUPLING. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911'.

Z SHEET$SHEET 1.

I the usual Master Car Builders type wherein Vided with the usual spacedears 12 wheret y torriio sranmue, or DOTHAN, ALABAMA.

CAR-COUPLING.

Application filed May 12,

To all whom it' may concern: I

Be it known that I, O riio STARLING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dothan, in the county "of Houston, State of Alabama, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements 'i'nfCar-Couplers; and I dohereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact descriptionofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same. p;

This invention relates to car couplings of a knuckle joint is em withthe drawflhead'. j j

j The invention relates especially to the manner in whichthe knucklejoint is locked when thec'ars are coupledand released when the cars areuncoupled. g

Thefp-rincipal object of the invention is to ployed in connectionprovide an improved construction of 0011- plers of this character inwhich the mechanism is so arranged that the couplers may be releasedwhen under tension.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism bymeans of which the'knuckle joint will be thrown to open positionpositively,- said mechanism being connected to the locking mechanism ofthe coupler. V v

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ingeneral of a draw head providedwitli a knuckle and lo'cking' mechanismof improved character.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of constructionand combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe. accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In theaccompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views, and Figure 1 is a plan view of a couplerconstructedin accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevationof, such a coupler. Fig, 3-is a section on the line 3-8 of Fig. 1. Fig.4is a section on the line 4 4: of Fig. 2. .Fig. 5 is a, section on theline 5+5 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 1,certain of the parts shown' in the. section being broken away. I y

The coupler includes the usual shank 10 which is of any preferred formand on this shank-is carried the head indicated in general by thenumeral 11, The head 11 is pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911. 1910. Serial No. 560,892.

through passes the pivot pin 13 of the I knuckle 14. The head 11 isprovided with a pocket 15. Within this pocket 15 extends the tail 16 ofthe knuckle and this-tail is providedwith a portion 17 having an upstanding lug 18 formed thereon.

Pivo-ted in the pocket 15 is a lock member '19. This locking member 19,is provided with a recess 20 adapted to receive the tail 16 and thisrecess is closed on the upper side by aweb which projects outwardly asat 21 and rests on top of the tail 16. The body of the member is alsoprovided with an extension or tail 22 of such length as to intersect thepath of the lug 18. The front ofthe .tail 16 and the front wall of therecess 20 are so arranged that, when the coupler is locked, thecontacting surfaces will be of such a bevel as to readily disengage evenwhen heavy draft is exertedon the knuckle.

The member 19 being readily disengaged from the tail of the knuckleprovision is made to prevent such disengagement unless the trainoperative desires this result. This provision takes the form of certainlatch mechanism. Extending through the coupler head from side to sidethereof and adjacent the top of the head is a rock shaft 23. This.

rock shaft 23 passes through an. opening 2 1 which extends down from theupper side of the coupler head and opens into the pocket The rock shaft23 has provided thereon a rock arm 25 which swings in the opening '24and which is provided with a slot 26. At 27 is a latch which is slidableVertically in the opening 24 and which is provided with a slot 28 sothat the upper portions of the latch constitute spaced ears throughwhich passes a 'pini29 which also passes through the slot 26. One faceof this latch member is bevfeled as at 30 and this face contacts with aportion of the member 19, said portion being I also beveled so that themember 27 will lift easily, the beveling diminishing the frictionalengagement.

A The rock shaft 23 is provided with a handle 31 by means of which itmay be rotated. Now, when the parts are in such position that the member27 is dropped the member 19 cannot rotate. If the rock shaft be rotatedthe arm 25 will be moved and the lower end of the slot 26 will engagethe pin 29 and cause the latch 27 to lift above the top of the member19. Member 19 can then swing around and as it does so one portion of thetop will pass below the, latch member 27.

If the rock shaft then be swung in the opposite direction the elfectwill be to cause the pin 2.) to take position in the upper end of theslot 261 Meanwhile the member 27 will remain raised. The parts being inthis po sition if the lock 19 be moved back to its former place so thatit is in locked position the portion of the upper face on which thelatch 27 rests will be moved away from beneath the latch with the resultthat the latter will be free to fall, the pin 29 passing down the slot26. Vhen this takes place the lock will be again latched from movement.

In order to still further eliminate the friction and render the latcheasy to lift, a pocket 32 is provided in the head 11, the pocketcommunicating with the opening 27. In this pocket are held anti-frictionrollers 33 and in order to protect these rollers and the working partsfrom injury by rain or snow the member 27 is provided with a broad head34 constituting a cap which closes the upper ends of the opening 24 andpocket 32 when the latch is in its lowered position.

Since under certain conditions the lock 19 would failto disengage fromthe tail 16 by the pull on the knuckle 14 provision is made topositively force the lock 19 clear of said tail. To this end a secondopening 35 is formed down through the head 11 to the pocket 15, thisopening being on the opposite side of the head from the opening 24. Therock shaft 23 also passes through this opening and on this shaft is afreely rotatable arm 36 which extends down through the opening into thepocket 15, the lower end of the arm 36 lying behind the project-ion 22on the member 19. Fixed upon the shaft 23 to rotate therewith is anoperating member 37 having an arm 38 which is adapted to contact withthe arm 36 after the rock shaft has been rotated a predetermineddistance. When this arm 38 contacts with the arm 36 the lower end ofsaid arm 36 will be forced forward and by reason of its contact with theprojection 22 the member 19 will be revolved on its pivot so that therecess 20 is moved clear of engagement with the tail 16. The member 37is so positioned on the rock shaft 23 that the arm 38 only begins toactuate the arm 36 after the latch 27 has been fully raised. to releasethe member 19. In this manner the member 19 is successively released androtated. Provision is also made to positively open the knuckle. To thisend there is provided a lever 39 which is pivoted to swing transverselyof the pocket 15 and which is so positioned that it engages in the angleformed between the projection 17 and the body of the knuckle 14. Thislever 39 has an inwardly projecting head 40 which lies in the path of anarm 41, the latter being freely rotatableon the rock shaft 23. Themember 37 previously described is also provided with'a second arm 42 andthis arm is arranged at such an angle to the arm 38 that after the arm38 has moved the arm 36 and thus unlocked the knuckle, the arm 42 pivotor fulcrum and force the knuckle to open position. It will thus be seenthat in the operation of opening the knuckle the latch, lock, andknuckle are successively actuated. The knuckle having been opened inthis manner the rock shaft 23 is turned backward to its originalposition. When the trains come together the lug 18 engages theprojection 22 and causes the member 19 to swing around so that themember 16 en ters the recess 20. The latch 27 then drops and locks saidmember 19 from unlocking.

In order to protect the parts held in the opening 35 the head of thelever 40 is broadened out as indicated at 43 so as to form a capcovering said opening.

There has thus been provided a simple and elficient device of the kinddescribed and for the purpose specified.

Having thus described the invention, Wh at is claimed as new, is

1. In a car coupler, a coupler head having a pocket therein, a knucklecarried by the said head and provided with a tail extending within saidpocket, a lock pivoted in the pocket to swing in a horizontal plane andhaving a recess engaging said tail when the coupler is locked, a latchfor said lock movable vertically and adapted to position against theside of the lock to prevent its rotation, said latch being furtheradapted for vertical movement whereby it may rest on top of said lookwhen the lock is rotated, a rock-shaft passing through said head, arock-arm fixed on said rock-shaft, and a pin and slot connection betweensaid rock-arm and latch, said latch, lock and knuckle adapted to bemoved in the order named upon movement of the rock-arm.

. 2. In a car coupler; a coupler head having a pocket therein; a knucklecarried by the head and provided with a tail extending within saidpocket; a lock pivoted in the pocket to swing in a horizontal plane andhaving a recess engaging said tail when the coupler is locked, said lockfurther being provided with an extended arm; a latch for said lock; arock shaft passing through said head; an arm loosely mounted on the rockshaft and having its end engaging the arm of the lock; an arm fixed onsaid rock shaft and adapted to contact with the last mentioned armafterthe rock shaft has been rotated through a predetermined angle; meansconnecting said rock shaft and latch to raise the latch and release thelock prior to the movement of the loosely mounted arm; and other meansactuated by the move- 7 pocket to swing provided with an mentof the rockshaft the fixed arm.

to open said knuckle after said loosely mounted arm is moved by 3. In acar coupler, a coupler head having a pocket therein, a knuckle carriedby the head and provided with a tail extending within said pocket, alock pivoted in the in' a horizontal plane and having a'recess engagingsaid tail when the coupler is locked, said lock'further being extendedarm, a latch 'for said look, a rock-shaft passin head, an arm looselymounted shaft and having its free end arm of the lock, an arm fixedshaft and adapted to contact on the rockengaging the on saidrockmentioned arm after the rock-shaft has been rotated through apredetermined angle, means for connecting said rock-shaft and latch toraise the latch and release the lock prior to the movement of saidloosely mounted arm, and other means actuated by through said with thelast of the rockshaft to open said said loosely mounted arm is themovement knuckle after moved by the comprising a transversely swinginglever pivoted to the coupler head ad acent the upper part thereof andhaving a lower end engaged against said knuckle in rear of its pivot, asecond loosely mounted arm on the rock-shaft adapted 0nd fixed armcarried by said rock-shaft and .engageable with the second looselymounted arm after the first loosely mounted arm has 35' said firstnamedfixed.

been engaged bythe arm of the rock-shaft.

In testimony whereofll aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

OTHO sTAnLINe;

Witnesses:

L. N. -GILLIS, Gno. H. CHANDLER.

to engage and actuate, said transversely swinging lever, and a secfixedarm, said other means 25

